Being a deputy is not just about managing money and paperwork. You also have a duty of care to ensure the person you represent lives safely – and can get help if something goes wrong. This checklist helps you identify risks and confirm that the right things are in place.
Do you have a clear picture of the person’s safety?
Acting as a deputy carries a practical responsibility that goes far beyond bank accounts and court orders. Use this checklist to assess whether the most important safeguards are in place.
How to use this checklist
Go through each point and answer:
- Yes → working as it should
- No → a risk exists
- Unsure → needs investigation
1. Can the person raise an alarm quickly?
- Can the person raise an alarm themselves if needed?
- Does the person know how to contact help?
- Is there a simple, reliable way to reach someone in an emergency?
If the answer is no, there is a risk that help will not arrive in time.
2. What happens if the person cannot act?
- Is there a solution if the person falls or becomes acutely ill?
- Can someone be contacted automatically?
- Is there a backup if the person does not respond?
This is critical in situations where the person cannot phone for help themselves.
3. Do you have an overview of daily life?
- Do you know how the person is managing day to day?
- Do you have regular contact?
- Can you be notified if something changes?
Without an overview, it is difficult to spot risks in time.
4. Are there high-risk situations?
- Does the person live alone?
- Does the person have reduced mobility or declining health?
- Is there a risk of falls or other accidents?
- Does the person struggle to use a phone or technology?
Falls are the leading cause of emergency hospital admissions for older people in England – around 255,000 falls-related emergency admissions among people aged 65 and older each year (1).
5. Is daily life working practically?
- Is the person receiving the right support from health and social care?
- Are the care arrangements functioning as they should?
- Is there anything causing concern or making the person feel unsafe?
Safety is not only about emergencies – it is about the whole picture.
6. Do you know what happens if something goes wrong?
- Who is contacted first?
- Is there a clear plan?
- Does everyone involved know what to do?
Uncertainty here can cost vital time in an emergency.
7. Are contact routes secured?
- Is there always someone who can receive an alert?
- Can you yourself be reached quickly?
- Are there alternative contact people?
It is not enough to be able to raise an alarm – someone must also answer it.
When the checklist reveals gaps
If several answers are «no» or «unsure», there is an elevated risk in the person’s daily life. This may mean that help does not arrive in time, that incidents have more serious consequences, or that the person is living with unnecessary anxiety.
From insight to action
Identifying risks is the first step. The next step is to ensure that the person can always raise an alert, that someone can always be reached, and that the right information gets through quickly. For many deputies, this means supplementing existing arrangements with a solution that allows the person to raise an alarm even when alone.
Personal alarm as support for deputies
Being a deputy means being responsible for ensuring the person you represent can get help when something happens – even when you are not there. Sensorem’s personal alarm can be triggered manually or automatically if the person falls and calls pre-set contacts with two-way voice communication through the watch’s built-in speaker. It works outdoors and has built-in GPS positioning.
